Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? – Isaiah

An anniversary

by abbamoses

Today is the 15th anniversary of the end of NATO’s bombing of Serbia/Yugoslavia in 1999. (It was also the end of NATO’s status as an organization dedicated to the defense of its member nations, none of whom were threatened.) The bombing continued around the clock for 78 days beginning March 24.

I won’t go into the military, political or humanitarian arguments for this campaign, but wanted to note one thing.

In spite of the combined appeals of virtually every Orthodox hierarch in the world, NATO refused to suspend its bombing of Serbia for one day on Pascha of that year, so that the Orthodox people of Serbia might have one day to worship Christ’s holy Resurrection in peace.

God notices these things, though they may not seem significant by the world’s measures. When we look at political events, we don’t often think of God’s blessing nations, or of His withdrawing His blessing from them.

But if you think that things have not been going well for our country in the years since 1999, this might be something to remember.